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Wireless noise cancelling headphones suggestions needed please?


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Old 30-01-2012, 20:07
Clank007
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Hi,
With the help of CHRISJR last week I came to a solution for listening to my TV through a set of wireless headphones via a digital to analogue convertor.

The convertor has arrived along with the optical cable so its all systems go. So now I need the actual headphones.

The reason I'm after noise cancelling headphones is that my neighbours have a surround sound TV and the base comes through our dividing lounge wall.
The council say the noise isnt excessive but the base annoys the bejesus out of me every evening so I'm hoping to block it out with headphones.

Am I being a dreamer or are there headphones out there that could do the job? I know that noise cancelling normally refers to travel noise on planes etc, but can it work with surround sound base do you think?
If yes then could someone recommend me a pair please?
Cheers.
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Old 30-01-2012, 20:39
Deacon1972
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Just had a quick look and there's a pair of Aiwa noise cancelling headphones that actively cut frequencies from 40Hz - 1500Hz by 75%, so depending how low the bass intrusion is something similar may work.

Have a look at Sennheiser, Bose, Audio-Technica.

I'm assuming you need them to be wireless?
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Old 30-01-2012, 20:47
Clank007
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Hi, thanks for replying.
Yes they need to be wireless as the base station needs to be plugged into the line out of the convertor which will then broadcast to the headphones.
I'll take a alook at the Aiwa ones now.
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Old 30-01-2012, 20:54
Deacon1972
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Hi, thanks for replying.
Yes they need to be wireless as the base station needs to be plugged into the line out of the convertor which will then broadcast to the headphones.
I'll take a alook at the Aiwa ones now.
The Awia ones were just an example that NCH can cut bass frequencies, others I looked at only cut frequencies from around 100hz upwards, doubt anything like this would help - in addition to this they were not wireless.

It'll take a bit of searching because not all manufacturers offer the info on what frequencies they are active with, but I'm confident that you'll be able to find a pair of wireless NCH that will reduce the lower frequencies that are bothering you.
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Old 30-01-2012, 21:45
chrisjr
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Most noise cancelling headphones I have seen use a small mic to pick up the background noise then feed it back into the headphones out of phase which cancels out the noise leaking through the headphones. They can be pretty good but most cancel out the mid range frequencies much more then extreme bass or treble.

A god pair of closed back over ear headphones that have ear pads that surround the ears rather than sit on them can seal out background noise pretty effectively. If the noise you want to block out isn't excessively loud then that sort of headphone may be enough. For example the Sennheiser RS 160 wireless headphones are this type.

http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/uk/home_...dphones_502873

Though not exactly cheap at anything from £110 to £150 a pop.
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Old 30-01-2012, 22:04
Clank007
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Hi Chris,
Thanks for the link I'll take a look.

I assume that these will be better than most at reducing the low frequency sounds that Deacon1972 referred to earlier?

Money although tight at the mo wont come into it as a pair of headphones will be cheaper than installing noise attenuation boards into the wall which I was considering as a last resort
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Old 30-01-2012, 22:17
chrisjr
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Unfortunately low frequency sounds are the hardest to get rid of. Closed back headphones that surround the ears are better at it than open backed types that just sit on the ears. But they won't be absolutely perfect. You just have to hope that they attenuate the noise enough so that what you are listening to masks what is left.
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Old 01-02-2012, 21:46
Clank007
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I'm a little confused this evening.

I've connected up my digital to analogue convertor via the optical cable and connected the RCA jack to the other end.
The plan is to connect the cable from a wireless headphone Base Station to the RCA jack which will then broadcast to the headphones.

However just out of interest I connected a pair of cheap old wired headphones to it and they work? Admittedly they have no volume control but they do work.
Why is that do you think?
Does this mean that I can consider wired headphones now in addition to wireless?
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Old 01-02-2012, 22:24
chrisjr
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There is no reason why the output of the converter cannot drive a pair of headphones. After all it is just a variable voltage just like from a true headphone out.

However it is not ideal. A line out of the type on the converter is designed to be plugged into a high impedance load not the low impedance of a pair of headphones. This can compromise the sound quality and level produced. It probably won't do any harm to anything but is not really how it is designed to be used.

And as you have realised there is no volume control. Best to stick with Plan A and get either a set of wireless headphones or a proper headphone amplifier for wired headphones. If nothing else you'll have some control over the loudness.
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Old 01-02-2012, 22:37
Pugwash69
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You don't live next door to me do you? I have my subwoofer well away from the wall we share with next door.
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Old 07-02-2012, 15:15
Clank007
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Hi,
After doing a lot of research into low frequency noise cancelling headphones my Dad in passing said to me "why not get a dirt cheap pair of in ear headphones and cover them on your ears with some high end ear defenders that they use on building sites".
I've been struggling ever since to think of a reason not to try his idea out.

So, i'm thinking of buying these in combination with these. Do you think they will do the job?
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Old 07-02-2012, 16:34
Deacon1972
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Hi,
After doing a lot of research into low frequency noise cancelling headphones my Dad in passing said to me "why not get a dirt cheap pair of in ear headphones and cover them on your ears with some high end ear defenders that they use on building sites".
I've been struggling ever since to think of a reason not to try his idea out.

So, i'm thinking of buying these in combination with these. Do you think they will do the job?
I thought you were after some wireless headphones?

If you are considering those you have linked too, why not look at the closed version, they will sound so much better, you will also find it easier to find out the active noise reduction range. For example the Igo City have an active reduction range of 40hz to 1 KHz.

http://m.mymemory.co.uk/product?p=38979

The above is just an example, you can find them cheaper elsewhere.

If you want to search for more just include "active noise reduction range 40hz to 1 KHz.
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